Mystery Meat, Coming To a Grocery Store Near U
Jul 12, 2011 12:34:11 GMT -5
Post by shann0 on Jul 12, 2011 12:34:11 GMT -5
www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jul/12/project-to-grow-meat-at-musc-transferred/
Project to grow 'meat' at MUSC transferred
By Renee Dudley
Lab-grown "meat" still might find its way to the table.
But the internationally recognized project to grow meat from an animal's stem cells no longer will be researched in Charleston.
File
Vladimir Mironov
The so-called "cultured meat" project, funded in part by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been transferred from the Medical University of South Carolina to the University of Missouri at Columbia, PETA-funded researcher Nicholas Genovese said in an email Monday.
The experiment has been in limbo since February, when MUSC mysteriously shut down the meat lab and suspended lead scientist Vladimir Mironov, who butted heads with university officials over what was characterized as "an act of insubordination." He was fired March 7.
Genovese, who also left MUSC in March, moved to Missouri a week ago and spent Monday setting up his new lab. The visiting scholar in Missouri's Division of Animal Sciences called his new research university a "recognized leader in agricultural research and meat alternatives," and said it "promises to be an excellent institution to continue the culture meat initiative in a productive manner."
He said he continues to collaborate with Mironov.
Genovese still is paid by a three-year grant from PETA, which wants "cultured meat" to be available to the general public in an effort to reduce the number of animals killed for human consumption. PETA is offering a $1 million award to the first scientist to make "in-vitro meat" and sell it to the public by June 30, 2012.
Mironov's and Genovese's project, which has received international attention for its science-fiction nature and unlikely backing, has gained traction in serious research circles.
It will be featured during a symposium on "meat alternatives" during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in Vancouver in February, Genovese said Monday.
And Genovese and Mironov have been invited to a conference on in-vitro meat in Sweden next month, Mironov said in an e-mail Monday.
Mironov said this year that he would publicly sample lab meat for the first time at that conference. It is unclear whether that still is the case.
Mironov received his MUSC salary and benefits until July 1. As conditions of his severance deal, the Russian-born scientist agreed not to sue the university and said he would not discuss his MUSC employment with the media.
Previous coverage
MUSC suspends leading scientist Dr. Vladimir Mironov, published 02/17/11
MUSC, ‘meat doc’ split, published 03/08/11
Just after being fired in March, Mironov said he would go to Brazil before spending the summer on sabbatical at Harvard University. Researchers at the Harvard lab downplayed Mironov's involvement.
A Harvard professor of medicine and health sciences, who asked that his name not be used, explained the situation in a March e-mail: Mironov was welcome to "visit us as a temporary visiting researcher for a month or so. … Joining is not the case," he wrote.
Instead, Mironov remains in Brazil, where he is working on research related to regenerative medicine, according to emails to The Post and Courier.
"The longer I stay in Brazil more I love Brazil," he said in a May email. "I will probably take my sabbatical here. Lovely country. Lovely people. Great food and fruits. Excellent professional experts."
Bound by his severance arrangement, Mironov will not sound off on his former employer: "No comments on MUSC. I must steak to our deal."
Project to grow 'meat' at MUSC transferred
By Renee Dudley
Lab-grown "meat" still might find its way to the table.
But the internationally recognized project to grow meat from an animal's stem cells no longer will be researched in Charleston.
File
Vladimir Mironov
The so-called "cultured meat" project, funded in part by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been transferred from the Medical University of South Carolina to the University of Missouri at Columbia, PETA-funded researcher Nicholas Genovese said in an email Monday.
The experiment has been in limbo since February, when MUSC mysteriously shut down the meat lab and suspended lead scientist Vladimir Mironov, who butted heads with university officials over what was characterized as "an act of insubordination." He was fired March 7.
Genovese, who also left MUSC in March, moved to Missouri a week ago and spent Monday setting up his new lab. The visiting scholar in Missouri's Division of Animal Sciences called his new research university a "recognized leader in agricultural research and meat alternatives," and said it "promises to be an excellent institution to continue the culture meat initiative in a productive manner."
He said he continues to collaborate with Mironov.
Genovese still is paid by a three-year grant from PETA, which wants "cultured meat" to be available to the general public in an effort to reduce the number of animals killed for human consumption. PETA is offering a $1 million award to the first scientist to make "in-vitro meat" and sell it to the public by June 30, 2012.
Mironov's and Genovese's project, which has received international attention for its science-fiction nature and unlikely backing, has gained traction in serious research circles.
It will be featured during a symposium on "meat alternatives" during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in Vancouver in February, Genovese said Monday.
And Genovese and Mironov have been invited to a conference on in-vitro meat in Sweden next month, Mironov said in an e-mail Monday.
Mironov said this year that he would publicly sample lab meat for the first time at that conference. It is unclear whether that still is the case.
Mironov received his MUSC salary and benefits until July 1. As conditions of his severance deal, the Russian-born scientist agreed not to sue the university and said he would not discuss his MUSC employment with the media.
Previous coverage
MUSC suspends leading scientist Dr. Vladimir Mironov, published 02/17/11
MUSC, ‘meat doc’ split, published 03/08/11
Just after being fired in March, Mironov said he would go to Brazil before spending the summer on sabbatical at Harvard University. Researchers at the Harvard lab downplayed Mironov's involvement.
A Harvard professor of medicine and health sciences, who asked that his name not be used, explained the situation in a March e-mail: Mironov was welcome to "visit us as a temporary visiting researcher for a month or so. … Joining is not the case," he wrote.
Instead, Mironov remains in Brazil, where he is working on research related to regenerative medicine, according to emails to The Post and Courier.
"The longer I stay in Brazil more I love Brazil," he said in a May email. "I will probably take my sabbatical here. Lovely country. Lovely people. Great food and fruits. Excellent professional experts."
Bound by his severance arrangement, Mironov will not sound off on his former employer: "No comments on MUSC. I must steak to our deal."